Growing in Christ

Introduction

Parents know for a young child to grow up healthy, five areas of their life need to be held in balance:

Their emotional development, intellectual development, physical, psychological and spiritual development also.

All five elements are needed for a young one to grow strong.

It is the same in adult life. For our faith in God to grow and mature we need to strike a balance using all the tools God has given us. These are demonstrated in perfect balance, in the life of the Lord Jesus..

The name Christian, after all, means ‘little Christ’ or someone who models their life on the Lord.

Our Christian life begins

An adult Christian life begins when we commit to the following the Lord as our guide and savior. For many this means taking a new step in faith, to live out the promises made in our baptism.

This prayer is a good beginning point. And these time honored and traditional Christian disciplines listed here help us grow as disciples and transform our spiritual lives.

A Christian Prayer

Dear Heavenly Father, I confess that have not lived according tyo your ways and will and I need forgiveness.

Thank you for sending your Son Jesus who died for my sins. Thank you for raising Him to new life.

Today I ask His Spirit into my heart.

Cleanse me from my sin and be my new leader and Lord. I give myself into your hands.

In Jesus’ name I pray, Amen.

Connecting to God

These time-honored Christian Disciplines will help us grow as disciples and transform our spiritual lives. Once we are committed to following God, the path to Christian growth and blessing is the same one our Lord Followed. Christ Jesus himself showed us how to stay connected to God and today we still walk his ways to nurture our own Christian lives.

Verses to Guide Us

Baptism “Be baptised, all of you” Acts 2:28

Be Assured “These things I have written to you, who believe in the Son of God, that you may know you have eternal life and continue to believe in the name of the Son of God.” 1 John 5:13

Let God Speak “We do not live by bread alone, but by every word of God” Jesus’ teaching in Matthew 4:4

Speak to God “Devote yourselves to prayer, being watchful and thankful” Colossians 4:2

Worship God “Let us not give up meeting…but let us encourage one another” Hebrews 10:24-25

Fellowship with Other Christians “Where ever two or three are gathered in My name, there I am in their midst” Matthew 18:20

Share your faith “Encourage the fainthearted.” 1 Thessalonians 5:14

Church Humor

A little girl was sitting with her grandfather having a visit. She stroked his face as they chatted, and then as she did so she asked: “Grandad? Did God make you?”

“Yes dear, he did, a long time ago, the Grandad responded.”

She thought about that and continued to stroke his stubbly beard. And then she touched her own face and thought about how her skin felt. Then she ran her hand gently over grandfather’s deep wrinkles.

“And Grandad” she continued. “Did God make me?”

“Well, yes, he did dear. Just a little while ago, God made you!”

After a moment thinking she said: “Well, God’s sure doing a LOT BETTER job making things now, than when he first got started.”